Game

ABSTRACT

The present invention includes apparatus, articles of manufacture and methods for a game playable by at least one player with a plurality of cards and involving the simulated sale of product for value and accumulation of value therefrom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes apparatus, articles of manufacture and/ormethods for a game that is playable by at least one player with aplurality of “cards” and involves the simulated sale of product forvalue.

It is believed that people have always and will always play games.Although there are many games available to people, it is believed thereis always room for another good game. Thus, there is a need for a gamehaving one or more of the following attributes, capabilities orfeatures: is creative; is challenging to play; is simple to manufacture;is simple to play; can be adapted for any suitable playing medium ortechnology; can be played in any of a variety of places; reflects one ormore cutting edge social, political or other pragmatic issue; isthought-provoking; is rewarding and/or fun to play.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments of the present invention includes a game involvingthe simulated sale of product for value and accumulation of value fromsuch simulated sale(s), the game being playable by a plurality ofplayers with a plurality of cards. The game includes at least five typesof cards. Each first type of card represents a player's ability to sellproduct for value, whereby a player must play at least one of the firsttype of cards to be able to simulate the sale of product. Each secondtype of card represents one or more simulated product having value andwhich may be the subject of a simulated sale by a player. Each thirdtype of card represents one or more simulated depository for simulatingthe safekeeping of value obtained from the simulated sale of product,whereby a player must play at least one of the third type of cards tosimulate the accumulation of value from the simulated sale of product.

Each fourth type of card represents at least one simulated problemhindering at least one player's ability to simulate the sale of product,whereby when at least one of the fourth type of cards is played againsta player, the player cannot simulate the sale of product. Each fifthtype of card represents the removal of at least one such simulatedproblem, whereby a player can remove at least one simulated problemrepresented by at least one of the fourth type of card by playing atleast one of the fifth type of cards.

In some embodiments, the present invention involves an article ofmanufacture useful for playing a game, the game involving the simulatedsale of product for value and accumulation of value from such simulatedsale(s), the game being playable by at least one player with numerouscards. Each of the SHOP cards represents a player's ability to sellproduct for value, whereby a player must play at least one SHOP card tobe able to simulate the sale of product. Each of the PRODUCT cardsrepresents one or more simulated product having value and which may bethe subject of a simulated sale by a player. Each of the ACCOUNT cardsrepresents one or more simulated depository for simulating thesafekeeping of value obtained from the simulated sale of product,whereby a player must play at least one of the ACCOUNT cards to simulatethe accumulation of value from the simulated sale of product.

Each of the PROBLEM cards represents at least one simulated problemhindering at least one player's ability to simulate the sale of product,whereby when at least one of the PROBLEM cards is played against aplayer, the player cannot simulate the sale of product. Each of thePROBLEM REMOVAL cards represents the removal of at least one simulatedproblem represented by at least one of the PROBLEM cards, whereby aplayer can remove the at least one simulated problem represented by atleast one of the PROBLEM cards by playing at least one of the PROBLEMREMOVAL cards.

The present invention may be embodied in a method for playing a cardgame involving the simulated sale of product for value and accumulationof value from such simulated sale(s). The game is playable by at leastone player with at least first, second, third, fourth and fifth types ofcards. This embodiment includes at least one player displaying at leastone of the first type of cards to qualify for simulating the sale ofproduct and displaying at least one among the second type of cards tosimulate the offering of product for sale. The at least one playerdisplays at least one among the third type of cards to simulate theestablishment of a depository for safekeeping any simulated valueobtained from the simulated sale of product by such at least one player.At least one player may have at least one among the fourth type of cardsplayed against him to simulate the existence of at least one problempreventing him from simulating the sale of product. The at least oneother player may play at least one among the fifth type of cards toremove at least one simulated problem represented by at least one amongthe fourth type of cards played against such at least one other playerand enable the at least one other player to simulate the sale ofproduct.

In many embodiments, the present invention involves a method for playinga game by at least one player with a deck of game cards including,without limitation, pluralities of SHOP, PRODUCT, ACCOUNT, PROBLEM andPROBLEM REMOVAL cards. Each of the PRODUCT and ACCOUNT cards indicates avalue thereof respectively. The game simulates the accumulation of valueby each player from the simulated sale of at least one type of product.A score is maintained for each player. The method includes dealing aplurality of game cards to each player from the card deck and eachplayer repeatedly taking turns until a player wins the game, each turnof each player including one among a plurality of moves. The pluralityof moves includes, without limitation, discarding a game card anddrawing a game card from the card deck and establishing a SHOP stackwith a SHOP card. After establishing a SHOP stack, a player may place atleast one PRODUCT card onto the player's SHOP stack. After establishinga SHOP stack, a player may establish an ACCOUNT stack with an ACCOUNTcard. After establishing a SHOP stack and an ACCOUNT stack, a player maymove at least one PRODUCT card from a SHOP stack to an ACCOUNT stack ofthe player to simulate the receipt of value from the sale of productrepresented by the at least one PRODUCT card. When the cumulative valueof the PRODUCT cards on a player's ACCOUNT stack equals the value ofsuch ACCOUNT card, the player may add the value of the ACCOUNT card ofsuch player's ACCOUNT stack to his score.

Accordingly, the present invention includes features and advantageswhich are believed to enable it to advance game technology.Characteristics and advantages of the present invention described aboveand additional features and benefits will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon consideration of the following detaileddescription of preferred embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detailbelow. It should be understood that the description herein is ofpreferred embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention or theappended claims. On the contrary, the intention is to cover allmodifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spiritand scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

As used in this patent (including the headings), the terms “invention”,“present invention” and variations thereof are not intended to mean theinvention of every possible embodiment of the invention or anyparticular patent claim or claims. Thus, the subject or topic of eachsuch reference is not necessarily part of or required by any particularclaim(s) merely because of such reference.

The game of the present invention is played by one or more player. Theplayer(s) can be male, female, a combination thereof, a computer, robotor other machine, a simulated creature of any type, or any other desiredtype of being, object or concept. For the purpose of simplicity andclarity, a player may sometimes be referred to herein as “he”, “him” orvariations thereof. Offense should not be taken to such reference bywomen or anyone else. The nature, type and/or disposition of the playersis in no way limiting upon the present invention.

The object of the game of the present invention is to be the firstplayer to accumulate a certain simulated value from the simulated saleof product. The value may be represented by any quantifiable valuationmethod. For example, the value may be reflected in quantities of moneyin denominations of any past, present or future type of currency. Theproduct can be any one or more good, service, anything else, or acombination thereof. A few examples of products are jewels, art,artifacts and providing smuggling services. The present invention isthus not limited by the nature or type of simulated value or product.For illustrative purposes, in the exemplary embodiment as describedbelow, the product is drugs and a player must secure a value of$1,000,000 (one-million U.S. dollars) to win the game.

The game of the present invention will now be described with referenceto an exemplary embodiment. In the exemplary embodiment, the game isdescribed as being played with conventional playing-type cards sometimesarranged in “stacks”. However, the present invention is not limited toplaying with conventional playing-type cards arranged in stacks, but canbe played with electronic representations or imagery or in any othermanner, so long as the purpose, or action, represented by the card(s) asdescribed below is incorporated. For example, the cards may be imagescreated or shown on a device, such as a screen, computer, cellphone,watch, pager, palm pilot or other hand-held device, other electronicdevice or virtually any other type of equipment, and may not be arrangedin stacks. In other embodiments, the cards may be imagined or believedto exist in a dimension not yet discovered by humans. Thus, the mediumwithin which the purpose of the card(s) is represented or incorporatedis not limiting upon the present invention. Accordingly, the term “card”and variations thereof as used in this patent means any medium or mannerof communicating or representing one or more purpose or action asdescribed below.

In the exemplary embodiment, to begin playing a round of the game, cardsare dealt. For example, the cards may be shuffled and dealt face down,one at a time to the players in a clockwise order. If there are two,three or four players in the game, nine cards are dealt to each player.For more than four players, seven cards are dealt to each player. Inthis embodiment, after the cards are dealt, it is to the benefit of eachplayer to keep the cards in his hand private so no other players can seethem. However, the cards need not necessarily be dealt and retained inthe above manner; any other suitable number of cards may be dealt to andretained by each player in any manner.

For illustrative purposes, the cards used in the exemplary embodimentwill each be identified herein by a particular name or names. It shouldbe understood that the invention is not limited to the particular namesof cards provided—these names are only examples. Any other card namesmay be used, so long as the cards are used for the same purposes oractions as described below. Further, the cards of the game can have anyshape, color, form, configuration, and can bear any desired text and/ordesign elements.

Still with respect to the exemplary embodiment, the remainder of thedeck is preferably placed in a stack face down (the “remaining deck”).Later, a discard pile (preferably also face down) and other stacks willbe created, as described below. Thus, a playing surface may be desiredor necessary for placing and maintaining the various stacks and piles.The playing surface can be anything, such as one or more table or chair,a vehicle hood or dashboard, one or more persons' back or stomach, theplayers' hands or anything else as desired. Whether a playing surface isused and, if so, the type of playing surface, are not limiting upon thepresent invention.

During the playing of the game, players take individual turns. In theexemplary embodiment, at the beginning and end of each turn, each playermust possess the originally dealt number of cards in his hand. Thus, inthis embodiment, whenever a player removes, plays or discards a cardfrom his hand during the game, such as described below, the player mustdraw another card from the remaining deck (before any other player drawsa card from the remaining deck).

In the preferred embodiment, if a player initially dealt the cards, theplayer to his immediate left begins play. Thereafter, each player takesa turn going in the clockwise direction, unless something occurs tocause a player to skip a turn or change the direction of play, such asdescribed below. However, this sequencing is not required by the presentinvention.

The present invention involves numerous actions or moves used by playersto try to eventually win the game. In the exemplary embodiment, somemoves that may be included are represented by the following cards:

1. The purpose of a SHOP card is to signify that a player is a(simulated) seller of product. A player must play a SHOP card to sellproduct and earn value therefrom. In the exemplary embodiment, the SHOPcard is a SET UP SHOP card.

2. The purpose of a PRODUCT card is to represent a quantity of(simulated) product that can be sold for a specific value. In theexemplary embodiment, the PRODUCT cards are DRUG cards. Each DRUG cardhas a dollar value for the drugs represented by the card. If desired,the value, type of drug and/or other information may be included on theface of the DRUG card.

3. The purpose of an ACCOUNT card is to represent a (simulated)depository for accumulating value received by a player from his sale ofproduct. A player must play an ACCOUNT card to secure money from thesale of product. In the exemplary embodiment, the ACCOUNT cards areOFFSHORE BANK ACCOUNT cards and/or PUT UP cards (sometimes referred toherein individually or collectively as “OBA” cards), each of whichrepresents an offshore bank account for holding money earned from thesale of drugs. Each OBA card of this embodiment indicates a precisedollar amount of money that can be held in such account.

4. The purpose of a PROBLEM card is to represent at least one(simulated) problem hindering a player's ability to sell product.Generally, one player plays a PROBLEM card against another player tohinder the other player's ability to simulate the sale of product. Inthe exemplary embodiment, the PROBLEM cards are HATER cards. A HATERcard may, for example, represent that the player against whom the cardis played is being watched by or in trouble with one or more of the ATF,DEA, FBI, the police, Interpole, etc.

5. The purpose of a PROBLEM REMOVAL card is to simulate the removal ofone or more problem hindering a player's ability to sell product.Generally, a player must play a PROBLEM REMOVAL card to be able toremove a PROBLEM card played against him. In the exemplary embodiment,PROBLEM REMOVAL cards may, for example, be ATTORNEY, MAFIA and/orUNTOUCHABLE cards.

In the preferred embodiment, during the conduct of the game, cards areobtained by a player from his initial (dealt) hand, or by discarding acard from his hand to the discard pile and drawing a new card from theremaining deck. If desired, cards can also be obtained by the trading ofcards between players. In the exemplary embodiment, any two or moreplayers may, by agreement, trade or exchange any type or quantity ofcards from their hands at any time during the game. Cards may be tradedduring a trading player's turn, in the midst of another player's turn orbetween any players' turns. The trading of cards does not employ a turnfor any player. For example, one player may give another player a DRUGcard with drugs valued at $50,000.00 during his first turn in the gamein exchange for a SET UP SHOP card from the other player. However, inthe exemplary embodiment, players can bluff a trade or lie about thenature of the card(s) being traded. If a bluff or lie is made and atleast one card is exchanged or accepted, the trade is good and cannot bereversed, except by agreement of the trading players. Further, thetrading of cards is not required by the present invention.

If desired, the game may include the “no wait” rule. Under the “no wait”rule, the game waits for nobody. For example, if one player has to usethe bathroom, another obligation or even an emergency, the other playersdo not need to stop the game and wait. In such case, the game continuesand the absent player's turns are skipped.

Also, if desired, the game may include the “rule change” rule. Underthis rule, the players may modify any of the rules of the game, or addor remove rules by unanimous agreement of the players. The players mayeven agree to change this “rule change” rule to have certain limitationson the changing of rules (e.g.: majority consent for a rule change, notallowing certain rules to be changed, etc.).

One example of the playing of the game of the preferred embodiment willnow be described. To be able to “sell” product, each player mustestablish a “shop” by playing a SHOP card. In this particularembodiment, a shop is established by placing a SET UP SHOP card face upon the playing surface to create a SHOP, or SET UP SHOP, stack of thatplayer. In some embodiments, a player can have more than one SHOP stack;however, portions of the following description may need to be modifiedfor such embodiments.

In any subsequent turns after a player has a SHOP stack, the playersimulates the offering of product for sale by placing a single PRODUCT(e.g. DRUG) card atop his SHOP stack. Numerous DRUG cards may beaccumulated on a player's SHOP stack. The DRUG cards on a player's SHOPstack signify that the player has the product represented by the DRUGcard(s) for sale.

After a player has a SHOP stack with at least one PRODUCT card, he mayestablish one or more account for accumulating money from the sale ofproduct. In the preferred embodiment, this is done by placing an OBAcard face up on the playing surface separate from all other cards,stacks and piles, creating an ACCOUNT stack. In this embodiment, theaccount represented by an OBA card will not hold any more money than theamount specified on the OBA card. Each player can have any number ofACCOUNT stacks.

After an ACCOUNT stack is created, value from the sale of product may beaccumulated in the account represented by the ACCOUNT stack. In thepreferred embodiment, this is done by a player moving one or more DRUGcard from his SHOP stack to the ACCOUNT stack. The DRUG card(s) may beso moved during the same turn as when establishing the ACCOUNT stack andon later turns. When done on later turns, this move will employ the turnof the player. Any number of DRUG cards can be moved to an ACCOUNT stackduring a single turn. In this embodiment, the value represented by theDRUG card(s) placed on an ACCOUNT stack is safe and cannot generally beaffected by another player.

When the total dollar value indicated on all DRUG cards located on anACCOUNT stack equals the corresponding OBA card value, the account ismaxed-out. During the turn when the player moves the last DRUG card(s)to the ACCOUNT stack to max-out the ACCOUNT stack or on a later turn,the player may move all cards in the ACCOUNT stack to the discard pileand adds the dollar value of the OBA card to the player's recordedscore. As indicated earlier, when a single player has a score of theproscribed winning amount (e.g. $1,000,000 in the illustratedembodiment), he is the winner and the game is over.

Still referring to an exemplary method of playing an embodiment of thepresent invention, regardless of whether a player has a SHOP stack(unless a rule or action dictates otherwise), the player may (i) discarda card and draw a new card from the remaining deck or (ii) play aPROBLEM card against another player who has a SHOP stack. In thisembodiment, a player may play a PROBLEM card by placing a single HATERcard from his possession onto the SET UP SHOP stack of another player(the “receiving” player). This employs a turn of the player who playedthe HATER card (the “playing” player). Any number of HATER cards may beaccumulated on any player's SHOP stack.

When one or more HATER card is included on a player's SHOP stack, theplayer's “shop” is effectively frozen. In such instance, DRUG cardscannot be added to that SHOP stack or moved from that SHOP stack to anACCOUNT stack. Further, the receiving player can neither establish anynew accounts with OBA cards nor close-out any OBA's, but can play HATERcards against other players as described above.

A PROBLEM card is removable by a player from his SHOP stack with the useof a PROBLEM REMOVAL card. In the exemplary embodiment, the PROBLEMREMOVAL cards include ATTORNEY, MAFIA and UNTOUCHABLE cards. An ATTORNEYcard can be used to remove one HATER card from a player's SHOP stack. Ina turn by the player, the ATTORNEY card is shown, a single HATER card isremoved from the player's SHOP stack and both cards are placed on thediscard pile. A MAFIA card may be used to remove all HATER cards from aSHOP stack. The MAFIA card is shown by the player, all HATER cards areremoved from the player's SHOP stack, and the MAFIA and HATER cards areplaced on the discard pile. This employs a turn for the player.

An UNTOUCHABLE card has the same effect and requires the same procedureas a MAFIA card, but also allows the player using the card to (i) takeall DRUG cards from every other player's SHOP stack that does notinclude any HATER cards, and (ii) take the next turn in the game. Whenan UNTOUCHABLE card is played, the player shows the card, removes allHATER cards from his SHOP stack and places the UNTOUCHABLE and HATERcard(s) on the discard pile. The player then takes all DRUG cards fromeach other player's SHOP stack (that does not have any HATER cards), andplaces them onto his SHOP stack. The player then takes another turn.

The game may include any other actions or moves, as desired. Someexamples of additional moves that may be included are described below inthe context of additional cards.

1. A JACK MOVE card allows a player to take all DRUG cards from anothersingles player's SHOP stack that does not have any HATER cards. In aturn, the player shows the JACK MOVE card, places it on the discard pileand moves all DRUG cards from one other player's SHOP stack (that doesnot have any HATER cards) onto his SHOP stack.

2. A REVERSE DIRECTION (e.g. PUFF PUFF PASS) card allows a player toreverse the section of play and take another turn. The player shows thecard, places it on the discard pile and takes another turn, followed bythe next player in the new direction of play, and so on.

3. A NO JOKER COUNTY TIME card can be used to force another player toskip his next turn. In a turn, the player places the NO JOKER COUNTYTIME card on another player's SHOP stack. At that player's next turn,his only move is to remove NO JOKER COUNTY TIME card to the discardpile.

4. The playing of a HAND OVER (e.g. CITY SWEEP or OUT THE GAME) cardends the current hand of the game. When this card is played by beingshown by a player on his turn, the value of all DRUG cards on eachplayer's SHOP stack(s) is deducted from that player's respectiverecorded score, while the value of all DRUG cards in each player'sACCOUNT stack(s) is added to the players' respective recorded scores.All cards are returned to the deck and reshuffled, and a new hand isdealt. The player that played the HAND OVER card begins the next hand.

5. When a HAND OVER card is played by a player, any player holding aPROTECTION (e.g. MADE MAN, GODFATHER or DON) card does not have toreduce his score by the value of the DRUG cards in his SHOP stack(s).

6. A GAMBLER card can be placed by a player on another player's SHOPstack as a turn. If the receiving player moves one or more DRUG cardshaving a cumulative value equal to the value indicated on the GAMBLERcard to an ACCOUNT stack during any of the next three turns of thereceiving player, the receiving player's recorded score in increased bytwice the amount of the GAMBLER card and the recorded score of theplaying player is reduced by the amount indicated on the GAMBLER card.If not, the recorded score of the player who played the GAMBLER card isincreased by the amount on the GAMBLER card and the receiving player'srecorded score is reduced by that amount. Thereafter, the GAMBLER cardis discarded to the discard pile.

7. A PAY OFF (e.g. MUSCLE, GANG or DIRTY COP) card may be played by aplayer as a turn by placing it on another player's SHOP stack.Thereafter, during each turn of the receiving player, the valuedesignated on the PAY OFF card (e.g. $2,500) must be deducted from thereceiving player's recorded score until the hand or game ends.

8. A ONE TIME PAY OFF (e.g. BABY MAMA DRAMA or EX-WIFE) card may beplayed by a player as a turn by showing it to another player thendiscarding it to the discard pile. The receiving party's recorded scoreis reduced by the amount designated on the card (e.g., $25,000).

9. A BANK JOB card may be played by a player as a move by showing it andincreasing his recorded score by the value indicated thereon (e.g.,$50,000) and discarding it.

10. A HACKER card may be played by a player as a turn by showing it toanother player then discarding it. The playing player's recorded scoreis increased and the receiving player's recorded score is decreased bythe amount designated on the HACKER card (e.g. $150,000).

11. A JAIL (e.g. TWENTY-TO-LIFE) card may be played by a player as aturn by showing it to another player then discarding it. The receivingplayer is removed from the game and all his cards are placed on thediscard pile.

12. A PROSTITUTE or HOE card may be played by a player by placing it onanother player's SHOP stack. During every subsequent turn of thereceiving player, the playing player's recorded score is increased by acertain amount (e.g. $2,000). The receiving player may remove thePROSTITUTE or HOE card from his SHOP stack during a turn by playing aPIMP card. The PIMP card is placed on the discard pile, and thePROSTITUTE or HOE card may be placed onto the SHOP stack of any otherplayer or discarded. If placed on the SHOP stack of another player,during every subsequent turn of the now-receiving player, thenow-playing player's recorded score is increased by a designated amount(e.g. $2,000), and so on.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention thus offer advantagesover the prior art and are well adapted to carry out one or more of theobjects of the invention. It should be understood that all of the abovecards and any other cards that may be included may have any desiredform, size, material construction, configuration and quantity, as is orbecomes known. The present invention is in no way limited to thefeatures, actions, cards, specific examples or other details describedabove. Further, the above-described features are not limited to thedetails as described and shown. Yet further, each such feature can beused independent of any other feature. Moreover, the present inventiondoes not require each of the above features and includes furthercapabilities, actions, functions, methods, uses and applications, aswill be apparent to a person skilled in the art based upon thedescription above and the appended claims.

While preferred embodiments of this invention have been described, manyvariations, modifications and/or changes are possible, contemplated bythe patentee, within the scope of the appended claims, and may be madeand used by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from thespirit or teachings of the invention and scope of appended claims. Thus,all matter herein set forth should be interpreted as illustrative andnot limiting. Accordingly, the scope of the invention and the appendedclaims is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

1. A game involving the simulated sale of product for value andaccumulation of value from such simulated sale(s), the game beingplayable by a plurality of players with a plurality of cards, the gamecomprising: a first plurality of cards, each of said first plurality ofcards representing a player's ability to sell product for value, wherebya player must play at least one of said first plurality of cards to beable to simulate the sale of product; a second plurality of cards, eachof said second plurality of cards representing one or more simulatedproduct having value and which may be the subject of a simulated sale bya player; a third plurality of cards, each of said third plurality ofcards representing one or more simulated depository for simulating thesafekeeping of value obtained from the simulated sale of product,whereby a player must play at least one of said third plurality of cardsto simulate the accumulation of value from the simulated sale ofproduct; a fourth plurality of cards, each of said fourth plurality ofcards representing at least one simulated problem hindering at least oneplayer's ability to simulate the sale of product, whereby when at leastone of said fourth plurality of cards is played against a player, theplayer cannot simulate the sale of product; and a fifth plurality ofcards, each of said fifth plurality of cards representing the removal ofat least one simulated problem represented by at least one among saidfourth plurality of cards, whereby a player can remove the at least onesimulated problem represented by at least one of said fourth pluralityof cards by playing at least one of said fifth plurality of cards. 2.The game of claim 1, wherein the simulated product is drugs and thevalue obtained from the simulated sale of drugs is money.
 3. The game ofclaim 2, wherein at least one of said second plurality of cards isplaced with one of said first plurality of cards by a first player tosimulate the offering of drugs for sale by the first player, furthercomprising a sixth plurality of cards, wherein a second player may playat least one among said sixth plurality of cards against the firstplayer to cause the second player to obtain possession of said at leastone of said second plurality of cards placed by the first player.
 4. Thegame of claim 1, wherein the game is played by the plurality of playerstaking turns one at a time in an order of play, further comprising aseventh plurality of cards, wherein the playing of at least one amongsaid seventh plurality of cards causes reversal of the order of play ofthe game.
 5. The game of claim 1, wherein the game is played by theplurality of players taking turns one at a time in an order of play,further comprising an eighth plurality of cards, wherein the playing ofat least one among said eighth plurality of cards causes a player toskip the next turn of such player.
 6. An article of manufacture usefulfor playing a game, the game involving the simulated sale of product forvalue and accumulation of value from such simulated sale(s), the gamebeing playable by at least one player with a plurality of cards, thearticle of manufacture comprising: a plurality of SHOP cards, each ofsaid SHOP cards representing a player's ability to sell product forvalue, whereby a player must play at least one SHOP card to be able tosimulate the sale of product; a plurality of PRODUCT cards, each of saidPRODUCT cards representing one or more simulated product having valueand which may be the subject of a simulated sale by a player; aplurality of ACCOUNT cards, each of said ACCOUNT cards representing oneor more simulated depository for simulating the safekeeping of valueobtained from the simulated sale of product, whereby a player must playat least one of said ACCOUNT cards to simulate the accumulation of valuefrom the simulated sale of product; a plurality of PROBLEM cards, eachof said PROBLEM cards representing at least one simulated problemhindering at least one player's ability to simulate the sale of product,whereby when at least one of said PROBLEM cards is played against aplayer, the player cannot simulate the sale of product; and a pluralityof PROBLEM REMOVAL cards, each of said PROBLEM REMOVAL cardsrepresenting the removal of at least one simulated problem representedby at least one among said PROBLEM cards, whereby a player can removethe at least one simulated problem represented by at least one of saidPROBLEM cards by playing at least one of said PROBLEM REMOVAL cards. 7.The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein the game is played in oneor more hands and a recorded score is maintained for each of the atleast one player, wherein at least one of said PRODUCT cards isassociated with one of said SHOP cards by at least one player tosimulate the offering of product for sale by the at least one player,further comprising a plurality of HAND OVER cards, wherein the playingof at least one among said plurality of HAND OVER cards causestermination of the current hand of the game, whereby the value of all ofsaid PRODUCT cards associated with each of the at least one player'ssaid SHOP card is deducted from the players' respective recorded score.8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, further including a pluralityof PROTECTION cards, wherein the recorded score of any player possessingone of said PROTECTION cards is not reduced when one of said HAND OVERcards is played.
 9. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein arecorded score is maintained for each of the at least one player,further including a plurality of PAY OFF cards, wherein the playing ofone among said plurality of PAY OFF cards causes reduction of a player'srecorded score by a designated value.
 10. A method for playing a cardgame involving the simulated sale of product for value and accumulationof value from such simulated sale(s), the game being playable by atleast one player with at least first, second, third, fourth and fifthpluralities of cards, the game comprising: at least one playerdisplaying at least one of the first plurality of cards to be able tosimulate the sale of product; the at least one player displaying atleast one among the second plurality of cards to simulate the offeringof product for sale by the at least one player; the at least one playerdisplaying at least one among the third plurality of cards to simulatethe establishment of a depository for safekeeping any simulated valueobtained from the simulated sale of product by such at least one player;at least one player having at least one among the fourth plurality ofcards played against such at least one other player to simulate theexistence of at least one problem preventing the at least one otherplayer from simulating the sale of product; and the at least one otherplayer playing at least one among the fifth plurality of cards to removeat least one simulated problem represented by at least one among thefourth plurality of cards played against such at least one other playerand enable the at least one other player to simulate the sale ofproduct.
 11. The method of claim 10, further including a first playerplacing at least one among the second plurality of cards proximate toone of the first plurality of cards to simulate the offering for sale ofproduct by the first player.
 12. The method of claim 11, furtherincluding a second player placing at least one among the fourthplurality of cards proximate to the at least one of the first pluralityof cards displayed by the first player to prevent the first player fromsimulating the sale of product.
 13. The method of claim 11, furtherincluding the first player moving at least one among the secondplurality of cards to be proximate to at least one among the thirdplurality of cards to simulate the accumulation of value from the saleof product by the first player.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein arecorded score is maintained for each player and wherein each of thesecond and third pluralities of cards indicates a value thereofrespectively, further including adding to the recorded score of the atleast one player the value of the card among the third plurality ofcards displayed by such player when the cumulative value of the at leastone among the second plurality of cards moved proximate to such cardequals the value of such card.
 15. A method for playing a game by atleast one player with a deck of game cards including, withoutlimitation, pluralities of SHOP, PRODUCT, ACCOUNT, PROBLEM and PROBLEMREMOVAL cards, each of the PRODUCT and ACCOUNT cards indicating a valuethereof respectively, the game simulating the accumulation of value byeach player from the simulated sale of at least one type of product, ascore being maintained for each player, the method comprising: dealing aplurality of game cards to each player from the card deck; and eachplayer repeatedly taking turns until a player wins the game, each turnof each player including one among a plurality of moves, the pluralityof moves including discarding a game card and drawing a game card fromthe card deck, establishing a SHOP stack with a SHOP card, afterestablishing a SHOP stack, a player placing at least one PRODUCT cardonto the player's SHOP stack, after establishing a SHOP stack, a playerestablishing an ACCOUNT stack with an ACCOUNT card, after establishing aSHOP stack and an ACCOUNT stack, a player moving at least one PRODUCTcard from a SHOP stack to an ACCOUNT stack of the player to simulate thereceipt of value from the sale of product represented by the at leastone PRODUCT card, and adding to the score of a player the value of theACCOUNT card of such player's ACCOUNT stack when the cumulative value ofthe PRODUCT cards on such ACCOUNT stack equals the value of such ACCOUNTcard.
 16. The method of claim 15, further including placing a PROBLEMcard on another player's SHOP stack to simulate the existence of atleast one problem preventing the other player from simulating the saleof product, whereby the other player cannot move any PRODUCT cards fromsuch SHOP stack to an ACCOUNT stack until such PROBLEM card is removed17. The method of claim 16, further including such other player playinga PROBLEM REMOVAL card, allowing such other player to remove suchPROBLEM card from such other player's SHOP stack to simulate removal ofthe at least one simulated problem represented by the PROBLEM cardplaced upon such other player's SHOP stack.
 18. The method of claim 15,wherein the plurality of cards includes a plurality of JACK MOVE cards,wherein a first player may place a JACK MOVE card on the SHOP stack of asecond player to cause the second player to turn over all PRODUCT cardson such SHOP stack to the first player.
 19. The method of claim 15,further including at least two players trading at least one card betweenthem at any time during the game.
 20. The method of claim 19, furtherincluding all players agreeing to change any one or more rule of thegame.
 21. The method of claim 20, further including terminating play ofthe game when a player's recorded score is at least a certain amount.